Barba
by wormwoodwine
Summary: When an unexpected accident involved a certain DA before trial,...


**Barba**

**A/N: Multi-shot, no pairing.**

**Chapter 1:**

"…The trial of David Johnson continue. The man who is renowned for his activist work and turns out to be a rape victim himself is accused of rape…" The hostess proceeded in a more popular talk show.

The ADA shut the annoying voice before it irritated the SVU team more than needed. "Tell me you have something I can work with." Common etiquette would class striding into one's office and making them watch TV show rude. However, who cared about common sense when a rapist can get loose, obviously not Rafael Barba.

"So what if he's a victim. That doesn't justify rape." Amanda retorted, hands on her hip.

Barba was about to explain but Olivia spoke first. "The point is how do we convince the jury?"

At the exact same time, Amaro's phone vibrated in his pocket. After exchange a few pleasantries, he declared. "Hang on, maybe George got something." He turned the call to speaker mood.

Amaro slid the phone to the center of the table so everyone can have a better hearing access. "Sorry, I can't come in person but according to the clip you sent me. I'm affirmative that David Johnson suffered dissociative identity disorder."

"You mean multi-personalities." Barba confirmed, one hand was still twirling his umpteenth coffee cups.

"If you can find the trigger then…" George went on to make his point but he was cut short.

"Don't have time. We're heading to court now." Barba announced.

/

"We got two other victims to testify." Olivia informed Barba when they were waiting for his caffeine dose.

"Both of whom were thugs and intoxicated." He objected, paid the guy, walked fast to cross the street right after the light turned green. "The man is a role model, 'liv, with no prior criminal record, not even a speeding ticket. And he genuinely believes in his innocence. "

"He'll do it again." Amanda frustratingly announced the inevitable.

Only Olivia saw the speeding car toward them; or to be precise toward the ADA. He was still busy rolling his eye at Amanda, who was an arm length behind him. She was on his left so even when he turned around, he couldn't notice the oncoming danger. She yelled his name after a fail attempt to pull him back. "Barba."

The old engine roared as it approached the maximum speed possible. So determine to punish his victim, the man gripped tightly on the steering wheel. Justice filled his heart even if it was for the wrong reason.

Suddenly a soccer ball rolled toward the car out of nowhere just before he hit his target in seconds, he knew then everything would turn ugly. Not too far from his prediction, a boy launched forward with no regard for his safety. The man might be heartless enough to kill another man but not a boy. The sound the tires screeching were overwhelming when the brake operated in the middle of speeding process.

The ADA jolted and turned around but it was too late. The last thing he saw was the flash of a black car then the ground. The driver opened the door and ran away which he wasn't getting very far. Amanda with her cop reflex nailed the man to the ground. "Police. You have right to remain silence."

"You aren't dragging Johnson name through the mud. You hear me. You hear me." He tried to get loose of her tight grip but failed miserably.

"Are you okay?" Olivia placed one hand gently on his upper arm as he struggled to stand up since he wouldn't have accepted her help anyway.

"I'm fine." He muttered, tried very determinedly to catch his breath and not to appear wobbly.

"Do you I need to call an ambulance?" She inquired, not sure of what to do.

"Trial in 30 minutes." He pointed a fact, rolled his eyes in return.

"But promise me, you'll get checkup latter." She declared her final concession.

"Fine."

/

"Describe the man attacked you for me." The defendant lawyer walked up to the girl and asked.

"White man, six feet, wearing a hoddie." He pointed at David out of ragged. "It's him."

"How do you know it's him? According to the medical examination, your blood alcohol was 0.2. You were intoxicated. How do you know if it was another white man, six feet tall, wearing a hoodie." The lawyer pressed until the girl was speechless and in tear.

The DA rubbed his eye tiredly, his case was falling apart if he didn't do something soon.

"Trial adjourns for lunch." The gavel struck the sound block.

Amaro strode into Barba office after interviewing the suspect who caused the earlier accident. "John Hampton. 32…"

"Ignore him." The attorney muttered through an ice pack somebody brought him. His head tilted back to rest fully in the chair. He must be bruised all over. "Focus on the case at hand."

"Hello, sunshine." The detective commented, slightly offended having his speech cut short.

Barba hunched forward to face his rival. But he just glared back and mocked. "Thank you."

"Okay, so if we can find something common in his rape case and his victim's cases, we can find his trigger." Olivia fulfilled her role as a peacemaker and a navigator headed the whole team in the right direction.

Amanda opened the files and scanned through them. "Arh, most of them are in January."

"Most." Fin pointed out. "Also in February and April."

An idea suddenly came to the attorney's mind. "Check the weather." He suggested.

"It's raining." Amanda poked her head out of the paper with an answer. "Not all but most."

"Check the day before." Barba led on, rose from his table.

"It's all raining." Olivia realized after flipping through the defendant's rape case.

"Wait a minute." Fin hesitated. "It's rain in August too."

"How did they catch his rapist?" Barba wondered.

"They found tissue with semen." Amanda answered in disgust.

"Not just the rain." He picked up the vest, fixed his fighting gear, eye lit up as if it was Christmas morning. Barba picked up his phone and called a secretary. "Prepare me some ice cold water."

The team looked puzzle as the DA walked out the door.

"Do you think he will do something stupid like last time?" Amaro smirked, sensed some dramas coming.

"Got the job done." Amanda replied with a shrug half-heartedly.

"Fair to me." Fin tended to complied.

/

"Mister Johnson, may I call you David?" He smiled warmly to the defendant.

"Of course."

"So to my knowledge, David, you denied every contact with Mr Burns. Is that correct?" He focused on his note while his other hand picked up a paper cup fill with ice water.

"Yes. I have never met the man." He answered confidently.

"Never seen him?" He suggested while he innocently moved closer to the man in question.

"Never." David confirmed, leaned forward to face the prosecutor.

Barba smiled, and then conveniently, the cup in his hand slipped and poured all the water inside onto the other man face. David looked baffled for a second when the judge roared. "Mr Barba! You have caused enough disturbances already."

"I'm so sorry your honor. Clumsy me." He quickly grabbed the handkerchief in his pocket attempting to wipe David's face.

Beyond everyone's expectation, David forcefully jerked the DA's hands off. "Don't touch me." It didn't stop there. David glared through his water blur glasses.

A sheering pain flashed crossed Barba expression. The car must have hit him hard. Despite all that, he knew he had a role to play. "Is it bothering you?"

"Objection! Relevant!" The lawyer bellowed, she had a bad feeling. It wasn't the first time she stood against this particular DA.

"Your honor, the defendant has established himself as a truth lover, forth coming man. If it was the truth, he wouldn't have any problem answering." He reasoned calmly.

"Proceed with…caution Mr Barba." She had heard rumors of how he worked and she wasn't a fan.

In the audience seat, Amaro nudged Amanda in the rib along with a quiet chuckle. She seemed the least bit impressed, rolled her eyes literately.

"Answer me, David. Is it bothering you?" He inquired again but at a closer range. "Am I bothering you?"

"A…little." He stuttered, trying a get as far from Barba as possible from his seat.

"Yes or no, David?"

"Yes."

Satisfy with the defendant's answer, Barba continued, knitted his hands together. "Why is that?"

"I don't know." He said dismissively.

"What exactly bothering you?" But before David could reply, he pressed on. "Is it the wiping?"

"…No." David glared.

"So I understand that you have no problem with me wiping your face." Barba had already had one handkerchief in his hand, reached out to David.

The man immediately stood up, almost knocked his chair over. "Get that thing away from me."

"Sit down, Mr Johnson." The judge ordered.

Just then, the jury's suspicious expression caught David's eyes. "Why are you looking at me like that?" He manifested. "It's not my fault. They're asking for it."

Now not even his lawyer believed him.

/

"On the charges of rape in the first degree, how do you find?" The judge asked.

"We find the defendant David Johnson guilty."

"Take Mr Johnson into custody. The jury is dismissed. The state of New York thanks you for your service."

Barba was relief at last. But he couldn't quite move yet. His head hunched down, both arm tried to keep himself upright.

Amaro slapped him on the back, which wasn't very pleasant. "Cheer up, we got him."

"What happened just now?" Amanda sounded confused as they all were.

"Remember the tissue. You think how the semen got there?" Barba hinted his jaw was set.

"So he wiped himself off…" Olivia suggested.

"It's traumatizing." Amanda deduced. Everyone nodded in understanding.

"The victim never forgets." Barba confirmed then suddenly grimaced, which drew even more eyes on him. Some of them were bewildered, the rest looked worried."Liv, Can you handle the press for me?"

"Of course, are you okay?" She asked one more time.

"I'll call a cab." He didn't deny nor confirm.

"Don't be ridiculous. Nick will drive you." Her glare made it clear this wasn't up for discussion.

"On it." The good detective wasn't too happy about this arrangement but he wasn't going to reject. And the DA knew better to comply.

On the way to his car, it wasn't obvious to Amaro that Barba had some troubles breathing. "Do you need anything?" This question wasn't out of polite.

"Just drive."

/

"Fractured ribs, since this morning." Olivia sounded more or less shock when Amaro got the team up to speed in the hospital.

"He's lucky they're not broken." Amaro, who was unfortunately getting mistaken as a family member, was literately yelled at by the doctor in charge.

"So you people are stalking me now?" Barba buttoned up his vest as he strode out of the exam room.

"Like how you stalk me. Pretty much." Amanda sarcastically replied.

He glared back but reasoned. "It's not like I'm dying or anything."

"You could be." Fin snapped, beyond pissed.

"We're just worried." Olivia intervened before the situation got out of hand.

"I can take care of myself." He knew the risk and he was willing to take that chance. Who were they to tell him off.

Fin said as Barba walked away. "Is it just me or something's wrong here?"


End file.
